Part 95

The old woman looked at the bag and said to herself: "Now, I wonder what that sly fellow carries so carefully? It will do no harm to see."

So she untied the string and started to look into the bag, and when the bag was opened the bumblebee flew out, and the rooster which was stalking about in the kitchen promptly ate him up.

When the Fox came back he saw that his bag had been opened and he said to the old woman: "Where is my bumblebee?"

"I opened the bag for but an instant," said the old woman, "and the bumblebee flew out and the rooster ate him up."

"Then I must take the rooster," said the Fox. So he gathered up the rooster, put him into the bag and tied the string, and threw the bag over his shoulder and went on down the road.

When he came to the next cottage he knocked at the door and said: "Good morning, Good Mother. The way is long and I am weary. May I leave my bag here while I go on to the grocery store?"

"That will be all right," said the old woman, "put it behind the door."

So the Fox put the bag behind the door, saying as he did so: "Be sure that you do not untie the string, Good Mother," and he went on down the road.

The old woman looked at the bag and said to herself, "Now I wonder what it is that that sly old fellow carries so carefully. It will do no harm to see."

So she untied the string and started to look into the bag, and when the bag was opened the rooster flew out, and the pig which was in the kitchen promptly ate him up.

When the Fox came back he saw that the bag had been opened, and he said: "Where is my rooster, Good Mother?"

"I opened the bag for but an instant, and the rooster flew out and the pig ate him up," said the woman.

"Then I must have the pig," said the Fox. So he gathered up the pig and put him into the bag and tied the string and threw the bag over his shoulder and went on down the road.

When he came to the next cottage he knocked at the door and said: "Good morning, Good Mother. The way is long and I am weary. May I leave my bag here while I go to the grocery store?"

"That will be all right," said the old woman, "put it behind the door."

So the Fox put the bag behind the door, saying as he did so, "Be sure that you do not untie the string, Good Mother," and went on down the road.

The old woman looked at the bag and said to herself: "Now I wonder what it is that that sly old fellow carries so carefully. It will do no harm to see."

So she untied the string and opened the bag the least little bit, and the pig jumped out of the bag and ran into the house where the ox stood and the ox promptly gored him to death.

When the Fox came back and saw that the bag had been opened he said: "Where is my pig, Good Mother?"

"I opened the bag the least little bit, and the pig jumped out and the ox gored him to death," said the woman.

"Then I must have the ox," said the Fox. So he went out into the yard and gathered up the ox and put him into the bag and tied the string and threw the bag on his back and went on down the road.

When he came to the next cottage he knocked at the door and said: "Good morning, Good Mother. The way is long and I am weary. May I leave my bag here while I go to the grocery store?"

"That will be all right," said the old woman, "put it behind the door."

So the Fox put the bag behind the door, saying as he did so: "Be sure that you do not untie the string, Good Mother," and went on down the road.

The woman looked at the bag and said to herself: "Now I wonder what it is that that sly old fellow carries so carefully? It will do no harm to see."

So she untied the string and opened the bag and the ox jumped out and ran out into the yard, and the little boy who was playing there chased him off over the hill and into the wood.

When the Fox came back he saw that the string had been untied, and he said to the old woman: "Where is my ox?"

"I opened the bag the least little bit, and the ox jumped out and the little boy chased him over the hill and into the wood," said the old woman.